National Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Report

October 2017

INUIT SUBMISSION TO Employment and Social Development Canada Regarding National Indigenous Early Learning and Childcare Framework INUIT SUBMISSION

Executive Summary

The development of an Inuit-centred ELCC system and its governance is a signiﬁcant step towards self-determination, reconciliation and cultural revitalization. Inuit have pursued political autonomy and self-determination through the negotiation of comprehensive land claim agreements that deﬁne Inuit political status in Canada today.

Between March and June 2017, ITK in partnership with Inuit Nunangat create variance in ELCC program quality,

Tungasuvvingat Inuit (TI) and Pauktuutit Inuit Women of access, and cost. Adopting an Inuit Nunangat ﬁscal policy

Canada conducted eight Inuit engagement sessions with would mean that single window federal funding would over 200 stakeholders across Canada to determine Inuit ﬂow directly to regional and urban Inuit organizations, vision, strengths, needs and recommendations for an providing them with the resources and ﬂexibility needed

Inuit-centred early learning and childcare (ELCC) system. to meet their needs.

This report is submitted to Employment and Social ELCC is recognized as a site of cultural revitalization

Development Canada (ESDC) as part of the development that holds the possibility of connecting Inuit with our of a National Indigenous ELCC (NIELCC) framework. land, culture, language and histories. It has the potential

The development of an Inuit-centred ELCC system and its to reinforce a strong sense of identity, positive self-image, governance is a signiﬁcant step towards self-determination, encourage social and economic participation for Inuit reconciliation and cultural revitalization. Inuit have pursued women and families, and impart coping and other political autonomy and self-determination through the behavioural skills that are critical for healthy growth and negotiation of comprehensive land claim agreements development. It is well known that investment in ELCC is that deﬁne Inuit political status in Canada today. For Inuit, returned many-fold by: increasing the likelihood that a self-determination with respect to ELCC means the right child will graduate from high school and be employed; to design, develop and deliver early learning programs, by decreasing the likelihood of imprisonment; and by drawing on Inuit Societal Values, using methods that are increasing mental health and wellness. Pursuing and

Inuit-speciﬁc, evidence-based and globally informed. supporting Inuit-centred ELCC is an important path to

It is necessary for the federal government to apply an building resilience, healing and reconciliation.

Inuit Nunangat ﬁscal policy in order to achieve this goal. Inuit would beneﬁt from adequate, integrated, multi-

The myriad ELCC programs and federal funding arrange - year funding through direct transfer agreements with ments that exist across the four jurisdictions that comprise the goal of providing Inuit-deﬁned, high quality ELCC

i NATIONAL INDIGENOUS EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE FRAMEWORK

programs in every community in Inuit Nunangat. The federal government can be partners in advancing the Fundamental to the shift in relationship following priorities for allocation of funding: between the federal government and Inuit, from a colonial relationship to partnership, • Develop Inuit-speciﬁc early childhood development (ECD) curriculum, program, materials and teaching is the shifting of the funding relationship tools that are trauma-informed and grounded in and accountability mechanisms. Inuit knowledge and Inuit approaches to childrearing, nurturing and learning.

• Provide capital funds to build new and renovate The evolving relationship between the Crown and existing buildings and playgrounds to meet Inuit Indigenous peoples in Canada bodes well for the community needs and health and safety standards in order to provide new spaces/services where implementation of the following recommendations. needed, as determined by communities. Fundamental to the shift in relationship between the • Ensure educators, childcare centre managers, federal government and Inuit, from a colonial relationship Elders, program providers and staﬀ working in early learning and childcare receive proper compensation, to partnership, is the shifting of the funding relationship taking into account the cost of living in the North and accountability mechanisms. • Develop and provide quality ECE training programs for early childhood educators grounded in Inuit knowledge as well as ongoing professional development opportunities for ELCC staﬀ and volunteers. • Facilitate Inuit self-governance of ELCC licensing and regulations for Inuit organizations.

ii EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA INUIT SUBMISSION

About the organizations

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) is the national represen - Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada is the national tational organization protecting and advancing the rights representative organization of Inuit women in Canada. It and interests of Inuit in Canada. ITK advocates for policies, is governed by a 14-member Board of Directors from programs and services to address the social, cultural, across Canada and fulﬁls its mandate by engaging broadly political and environmental issues facing our people. with Inuit women in each of the four Inuit regions.

ITK is governed by a Board of Directors composed of the Pauktuutit fosters awareness of the needs of Inuit women following members: and advocates for equality and social improvements.

• Chair & COO, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation Pauktuutit leads and supports Inuit women in Canada • President, Makivik Corporation through advocacy and policy development and community-

• President, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated based projects that work to address their unique interests • President, Nunatsiavut Government and priorities for the social, cultural, political and economic

In addition to voting members, the following non- betterment of Inuit women, their families and communities. voting Permanent Participant Representatives also sit on the Board:

• President, Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada • President, Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada • President, National Inuit Youth Council

Tungasuvvingat Inuit (TI) is an Ontario based counselling and resource hub that serves to empower and enhance the lives of Inuit residing in southern centres. TI is the only

Inuit-speciﬁc service organization of its kind outside of

Inuit communities. With nearly 30 years of experience in

Inuit speciﬁc program development and service delivery,

TI oﬀers leading expertise in navigating the urban Inuit experience.

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Glossary of terms

Inuit Nunangat: The Inuit homeland includes the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ): Traditional Inuit knowl - Inuvialuit Settlement Region (Northwest Territories), Nunavut, edge that is passed down from generations through Inuit Nunavik (Northern Quebec), and Nunatsiavut (Northern oral history, traditions and customs. This traditional knowl - Labrador). Inuit Nunangat makes up 38 percent of Canada’s edge has been articulated through principles developed landmass and 50 percent of its coastline. It is a distinct in Nunavut, recognizing that each Inuit region has their geographic, political, and cultural region that is co-managed own variations of these principles and values. by Inuit and the federal government through governance structures established by four comprehensive Inuit land Inuuqatigiit 1: An integrated curriculum based in Inuit claim agreements (Inuvialuit Final Agreement; Nunavut ways of knowing and being. Land Claims Agreement; James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement; and Labrador Final Agreement). Inuit Nunangat Maligait: Laws/rules that support living a good life in is uniﬁed politically by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, whose board Inuit worldview of directors are the democratically elected leaders of the four Inuit regional organizations (Inuvialuit Regional Corp., Pairivik / saipaaqivik: A daycare or a place for childcare. Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., Makivik Corp., and Nunatsiavut Government). Silatuniq: Experiencing the world

Inuit Societal Values (ISV): The Inuit kinship and relation- Tukisiumaniq: Making meaning in life ship values that have been passed down from generation to generation. They are based on a society that is respectful Uqaujjuijjusiit: Words of advice that is oral history passed of elders who have lived long and acquired life experiences down from accumulated knowledge and traditions. Words to pass these values down to help people survive and of advice were used to help others to become more thrive. proﬁcient, more knowledgeable in order to survive. Some- times the words of advice were not always immediately Inuktut: term used to describe all Inuit language dialects understood but when moments of adversity or personal spoken in Canada. trials, the advice would often be remembered and applied. These became gifts of words of advice that had been Inunnguiniq / Inuruqsainiq / Inunnguqsainiq: Raising given to them by their parents, elders or mentors, thereby children to become self-suﬃcient based on social inter - becoming uqaujjuusiat. There were words of advice for dependency and contributing to family and society. all aspects of life from child-rearing, seasonal daily tasks, Making a human being. tool-making, cooking, hunting, knowledge of animals, stars, weather, relationships with others and so on. Most words of advice — uqaujjuijjusiit are still true today.

1 https://www.ece.gov.nt.ca/sites/www.ece.gov.nt.ca/ﬁles/resources/inuuqatigiit_k-12_curriculum.pdf

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Acronyms

AHSUNC: Aboriginal Head Start is an early childhood FNICCI: First Nations Inuit Childcare Initiative — Employ - development (ECD) program funded by the Public Health ment and Social Development Canada’s program that Agency of Canada (for Inuit communities). It supports funds childcare centres across Inuit Nunangat. early intervention strategies to address the learning and developmental needs of young children living in First IECDWG: Inuit Early Childhood Development Working Nations, Inuit and Metis communities. Group was established by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) and the Inuit regions in 2001 to support the development of ECD: Early Childhood Development refers to the physical, the Inuit Early Childhood Development Strategy and cognitive, linguistic, and socio-emotional development support national priorities and policies. The IECDWG is of a child from the prenatal stage up to age six. made up of representatives who have a keen interest and a role regarding ECD from the following Inuit organizations: ECE: Early Childhood Education is a term that refers to Nunatsiavut Government, Kativik Regional Government, educational programs and strategies geared toward Kakivak Association, Kivalliq Partners in Development, children from birth to the age of six. This time period is Kitikmeot Inuit Association, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, widely considered the most vulnerable and crucial stage Nunavut Tunngavik Inc, Pauktuutit and ITK. of a person's life.

ELCC: Early Learning and Childcare is a comprehensive term used to describe education and care programs and services for children aged zero to six years of age and their families. This includes: licensed childcare centres, Aboriginal Head Start programs, early learning programs, moms and tots, playgroups, etc.

INUIT SUBMISSION

Table of contents

Executive Summary ...... i

About the organizations ...... iii

Glossary of terms ...... iv

Acronyms ...... v

1. The Vision and Hope of Inuit-Centred ELCC ...... 3

2. Background ...... 4

3. Engagement Process and Report ...... 5

4. Guiding Principles ...... 7

5. Rationale and Evidence ...... 11

6. Context: Existing ELCC in Inuit Regions, Provinces, Territories ...... 13

Early Learning and Childcare at a Glimpse ...... 13

Assets ...... 14

Needs — What we heard ...... 15

7. Context: Current Federal Government Policy, Programming and Funding ...... 21

8. Governance — Considering ELCC within the context of Inuit Crown Partnership . . . .25

9. Monitoring Evaluation and Learning ...... 28

10. Recommendations for Change ...... 29

Appendices ...... 32

Appendix A: List of contributors to this report ...... 32

Appendix B ...... 39

Appendix C ...... 40

INUIT SUBMISSION

1. The Vision of Inuit-Centred Early Learning and Childcare

The (NIELCC) Framework is an opportunity to re-imagine and recreate an Inuit ELCC system that can engage with the vision and priorities of Inuit children, families and communities.

We have a vision of an Inuit Early Learning and Childcare cultural continuity. We know this will provide children

(ELCC) system that gives every Inuk child the best possible with a strong sense of identity, positive self-image, and start to life. Inuit children and families wish to be healthy, create a foundation to build coping skills that can act as happy and safe and to have the opportunity to learn and protective factors against inequity, poor mental and speak Inuktut, to grow up prepared to live a harmonious physical health for the rest of their lives (see section 5). life rooted in Inuit ways of knowing and equipped to The (NIELCC) Framework is an opportunity to re-imagine participate in the broader Canadian society. and recreate an Inuit ELCC system that can engage with

Given the history of trauma inﬂicted by the residential the vision and priorities of Inuit children, families and school system and colonialism, there is a corresponding communities. The vision, guiding principles and recom - need among many of our families to heal from this history mendations from the Inuit engagement process clearly and re-learn what it means to parent and teach based in articulate an Inuit-centred ELCC system has to be self-

Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit. Our vision of an Inuit-centred determined. For Inuit, self-determination with ELCC

ELCC system incorporates a comprehensive suite of early means the right to design, develop and deliver early childhood and family wellness programs and services. learning programs, drawing on Inuit Societal Values and

ELCC is also recognized as a foundation for cultural teachings, using methods that are Inuit-speciﬁc, evidence revitalization 2 which holds the possibility of creating based and globally informed.

2 Greenwood, M. L (2009). Places for the good care of children: A discussion of Indigenous cultural consideration and early childhood in Canada and New Zealand. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

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2. Background

The current invitation to co-develop an NIELCC framework is an opportunity to create a coordinated and integrated Inuit approach to attain cultural continuity, family strength, healthy development, healing, and social equity in order to live harmonious lives grounded in Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.

The majority of the current child care and early learning exclusively licensed childcare. The Inuvialuit Regional

programs in Inuit communities are administered through Corporation also manages regional childcare funding

two federal programs: the First Nations and Inuit Child programs. In Nunavik, the Kativik Regional Government

Care Initiative (FNICCI) and the Aboriginal Head Start in (KRG) has signed a 23 year funding agreement with the

Urban and Northern Communities (AHSUNC). Across Province of Quebec, which positions KRG to accept the

Inuit Nunangat, there are currently a total of 62 FNICCI Quebec rules and regulations for licensed childcare. In

funded programs and 28 AHSUNC (including the turn, KRG monitors, licenses, funds and supports licensed

integrated model that all Nunavik childcare centres have childcare in the region (see Box 8). KRG also administers

created). For a regional breakdown, see Table 1 (pg.21). the regional Aboriginal Head Start and FNICCI funds

Despite the vital role these two programs play, the through investments in their licensed childcare program.

funding has not increased since the programs were This is in sharp contrast to Nunavut, where many discrete

established 20 years ago and therefore regions and programs operate in a myriad of funding proposals and

communities are consistently challenged by working in reports.

a complex ELCC system with lack of ﬁnancial and human The current invitation to co-develop an NIELCC frame - resources. work is an opportunity to create a coordinated and

The current ELCC system for Inuit is complex as it is integrated Inuit approach to attain cultural continuity, governed and administered diﬀerently in each of the family strength, healthy development, healing, and social four Inuit regions (See Appendix B). For example, the equity in order to live harmonious lives grounded in Inuit

Nunatsiavut Government manages several federal fund - Qaujimajatuqangit. This will require recognizing that Inuit ing sources, which enables program administrators approaches to child rearing serve speciﬁc cultural to work with communities in determining appropriate purposes intended to support Inunguinniq, the making community-specific programs, including but not of a human being 3.

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3. Engagement Process and Report

The academic-Inuit knowledge session solicited 5 policy briefs that were presented and discussed in order to build the ‘evidence’ base and rationale for an Inuit centred ELCC system.

Between March and June 2017, ITK in partnership with Overall, one planning session and eight engagement

Tungasuvvingat Inuit (TI) and Pauktuutit Inuit Women of sessions were held which included Inuit and a range of stake -

Canada conducted an Inuit engagement process to deter- holders in the ELCC system. Sessions were held in each of mine Inuit vision, strengths, needs and recommendations the four Inuit regions (Nain, Nunatsiavut; Kuujjuaq, Nunavik; for an Inuit-centred early learning and childcare (ELCC) Iqaluit, Nunavut; and Inuvik, Inuvialuit); two sessions were system. This Inuit-centred ELCC report is being submitted held with urban Inuit (the Eastern session in Halifax to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) hosted Inuit from Newfoundland and Labrador, New as part of the development of a National Indigenous ELCC Brunswick and Nova Scotia; the Central and Western

(NIELCC) framework. session in Toronto hosted Inuit from Quebec, Ontario,

Image I: Stakeholder group participation in engagement sessions

7% FrontlineF Sta (39%) 14% ChildcareC & Regional Management (9%)

39% FamilyFa (7%)

InuitIn Organization Coordinators (24%)

24% Federal/Provincial/TerritorialF Directors (14%) (7%)(7 7% 9%

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Manitoba, Alberta and BC); one session was held with

academic and Inuit knowledge holders (Ottawa, Ontario) The engagement process was designed by and the ﬁnal National Strategic Policy Session was held drawing on principles and techniques of in Ottawa, Ontario. In total 216 stakeholders were invited participatory research, citizen engagement to contribute to the development of this report (see and systems change methodologies. Appendix A for a full list). Image I demonstrates the range of stakeholders that participated in the engagement

sessions and contributed their knowledge to this report. produced four core elements: a vision and principles for

The majority of those who participated were frontline Inuit-centred ELCC; community assets and needs regard - staff (39 percent of total participants), including early ing ELCC; a draft local and regional action plan; and childhood educators (and student ECE), childcare workers, recommendations for the national framework. These family resource workers, language and playgroup workers, were captured in reports for each of the sessions. The childcare councillors, educators, instructors/teachers, draft report was circulated to all participants for review students and representatives. Inuit organization staff is before being finalized. The academic-Inuit knowledge the next largest group represented (24 percent of total session solicited 5 policy briefs that were presented participants), including regional coordinators, management and discussed in order to build the ‘evidence’ base and advisors, ECE coordinators, program coordinators, childcare rationale for an Inuit centred ELCC system.

coordinators, consultants, directors, advisors, employ - This ﬁnal report draws on all of these meetings and

ment oﬃcers, executive directors. The remaining 37% of their reports to propose overarching principles, vision, participants included childcare and regional managers, needs, assets and recommendations. These were presented

parents and family members, federal / provincial / and discussed during a ﬁnal National Strategic Policy

territorial directors and others. Session with federal, provincial and territorial govern -

The engagement process was designed by drawing on ments, Inuit organizations, academics and non-proﬁt

principles and techniques of participatory research, organizations. Previous reports produced on Inuit ELCC

citizen engagement and systems change methodologies. and academic literature are also referenced. This report is

The agenda was developed in collaboration with regional co-developed by ITK, TI, Pauktuutit, IECDWG members,

leads in order to meet both regional and local needs as well and approved by the National Inuit Committee on Health

as providing information for the NIELCC Framework. As (NICOH) before ﬁnal approval recommendation by ITK’s

such, each session was slightly diﬀerent but consistently Board of Directors.

6 EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA INUIT SUBMISSION

4. Guiding Principles

The principles proposed here were ﬁrst assembled by the IECDWG in 2004. The principles have since been reﬁned regularly through a series of regional consultation processes, most recently through the 2017 engagement sessions.

The principles proposed here were ﬁrst assembled by problems. Living, learning, respecting and valuing Inuit the IECDWG in 2004. The principles have since been approaches to caring for children is at the centre of Inuit reﬁned regularly through a series of regional consultation ECD. Inuit children should be supported to learn Inuktut, processes, most recently through the 2017 engagement from the youngest age connecting with family members sessions. They are presented here to build on the federal and Elders who provide teachings with land, sea and ice, government’s proposed guiding principles for the NIELCC plants and animals including healthy country foods 5. framework. 2. Self-determined: Inuit have self-determination 1. Cultural: Inuit early childhood development in the development, design, delivery of programs is grounded in Inuktut and Inuit culture. and services for Inuit children and families.

Inuit ECD must be built upon and grounded in Inuit Indigenous peoples have the right to self-determination.

Societal Values and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ). IQ is This right is implemented when Inuit are partners in the based in four laws — maligait — which include: working development, design and delivery of policies, programs for the common good; respecting all living things; and services in early childhood education. This right is maintaining harmony and balance; continually planning aﬃrmed by the United Nations Declaration on the and preparing for the future 4. IQ has six guiding principles Rights of Indigenous Peoples 6, which Canada has which are presented as concepts. These concepts are: endorsed without qualiﬁcation. Implementing Inuit self- serving; consensus decision-making; skills and knowledge determination in the development of NIELCC Framework acquisition; working together for a common purpose; is foundational to tackling the complex challenges faced environmental stewardship; and resourcefulness to solve by our population.

4 Tagalik, S. (2010). Inuit Qaujimajatugangit: The role of Indigenous knowledge in supporting wellness in Inuit communities in Nunavut . National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health.www.nccah-ccnsa.ca/docs/fact%20sheets/.../Inuit%20IQ%20EN%20web.pdf 5 Rowan, M.C. (2011). Exploring the possibilities of learning stories as a meaningful approach to early childhood education in Nunavik. Unpublished Masters thesis, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia. (https://dspace.library.uvic.ca:8443/bitstream/handle/1828/3483/Rowan_Marycaroline_2011-1.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y) 6 United Nations (2007). United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. New York: Author. http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpﬁi/documents/DRIPS_en.pdf

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services and organizational structures that are grounded Delivering quality programs in Inuit Nunangat in community-specific Inuit values, culture, and practices. and for Inuit outside of Inuit Nunangat, requires Delivering quality programs in Inuit Nunangat and there to be consistent and adequate funding to for Inuit outside of Inuit Nunangat, requires there to be develop, maintain and nurture Inuit designed consistent and adequate funding to develop, maintain programs. It is also necessary to ensure that and nurture Inuit designed programs. It is also necessary there are culturally competent, qualified, to ensure that there are culturally competent, qualified, well-trained, trauma-informed educators and staff who well-trained, trauma-informed educators and are well-paid and valued for their important work. staff who are well-paid and valued for their important work. 4. Flexible: Respects regional and community diversity

There is rich cultural and geographic diversity amongst 3. Quality: High quality programs that Inuit and therefore programing must be responsive, are defined by Inuit. adaptable and not rigidly prescribed. Inuit communities Quality care for Inuit is care created by Inuit, rooted in must be supported to create programs that are fluid and Inuit culture, traditions and values and is provided in responsive to educational priorities of specific centres, Inuktut. It supports the spiritual, intellectual, emotional communities and regions, including communities outside and physical wellbeing of children and has educational of Inuit Nunangat and in urban areas. learning as a foundation for all programming. It uses observation and silatuniq as pedagogy and teaching 5. Inclusive: Carried out in a spirit of collaboration tools. While high quality includes basics like clean, safe, amongst Inuit and government stakeholders with the best interest of Inuit children and warm and nurturing space to learn and grow, it is broader families at the centre and more holistic than health and safety regulations. Inclusiveness involves defining success based on Inuit

It recognizes parents and families as the child’s ﬁrst cultural practices and values, including Inuit inter- teachers within programs that are rooted in Inuit knowl - generational, interdependent child rearing, nurturing edge and societal values. This translates into programs, and care practices 7. Inclusiveness recognizes the history

7 Annahatak, B. (2014). Silatuniq: Respectful state of being in the world. Etudes/Inuit/Studies, Vol. 38, 1-2, pp. 23 - 31. https://www.erudit.org/en/journals/etudinuit/2014-v38-n1-2-etudinuit01719/1028851ar/. Ekho, N. & Uqsuralik O. ( 2000). Childrearing Practices, edited by Jean Briggs, Iqaluit, Nunavut Arctic College, Interviewing Inuit Elders, 3. http://tradition-orale.ca/english/pdf/Childrearing-Practices-E.pdf Williamson-Bathory, L. Aqausiit: Can you hear how much love you evoke in me?! Native Studies Review, Vol. 20, 2, pp. 1 - 29..

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Box 1: Tumikuluit Saipaaqivik (Iqaluit, NU)

In 2008, a small group of Inuit mothers who wanted culturally based childcare services oﬀered completely in Inuktitut, got together to create Tumikuluit Saipaaqivik - Nunavut’s only mandated Inuktitut immersion childcare centre.

“Tumikuluit creates a safe environment for the Inuktitut language to prosper, where children are welcomed and encouraged to speak their own language,” according to Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory, former Executive Director and one of the school’s founders. This program serves a very important purpose in Iqaluit, where English now prevails in schools, on the streets, and in playgrounds. Elders work with the kids to teach them traditional practices, games and songs, and recently, mothers are learning how to sew sealskin clothing at the centre.

With only enough space for twenty children, the Iqaluit Inuktitut Daycare has 76 children on their waiting list. It costs $40 per day for families to send their children to the centre in addition to the FNICCI funding which covers the other 50 percent of the cost.

Inuktut as well as various deﬁnitions of family including

Inclusiveness also recognizes cultural, blended, extended, custom adoption, etc. Inclusiveness linguistic and dialect variations of Inuktut as includes family wellness and looks to support the whole well as various deﬁnitions of family including family, not only the child. blended, extended, custom adoption, etc. 6. Aﬀordable: Recognizes remoteness factors and high cost of living in the North

The affordability principle should ensure that Inuit, no of our past in Canada and the importance of reconciliation matter where they live, can afford ELCC program costs. and healing as we move forward. To this, the Truth and It recognizes and resolves the discrepancy of parental Reconciliation Call to Action #12 “calls on the federal, fees between regions, the high cost of living in Inuit provincial, territorial and Aboriginal governments to Nunangat, as well as recognizes the lack of access to develop culturally appropriate early childhood education certain benefits Inuit living outside of Inuit Nunangat face programs for Aboriginal families” 8. Inclusiveness also when trying to access culturally appropriate program and recognizes cultural, linguistic and dialect variations of services.

8 Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (2015). Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Call to Action. Winnipeg, Manitoba: Author. http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/File/2015/Findings/Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf

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7. Accessible and Holistic: All Inuit children and families have access to holistic ELCC programming, regardless of location and cost Parents need access to childcare spaces in a

Elders “believe that children have the right to child - timely manner, without long waiting lists.

care that is culturally and linguistically appropriate, incorporating values and traditions of their parents and Barriers to access also need to be eliminated, such as lack community” 9. This means Inuit need a range of programs, of transportation to and from programs. It ensures that including family-based programming, which provides a buildings and their grounds are safe, healthy, culturally range of supports to meet the needs of families with appropriate and accessible for people with mobility young children (not only childcare centres or Aboriginal issues and recognizes and supports children who may

Head Start programs) 10 . Parents need access to childcare have a range of needs. spaces in a timely manner, without long waiting lists.

Box 2: Ottawa Inuit Childcare Centre (Ottawa, ON)

“Every morning, I light the quillik with the children, we sing songs, and we play,” says Ina Zakal, an early child - hood educator at the OICC. “My most important job is to teach the children to be [a] proud Inuk.”

At OICC, childcare, head start and kindergarten programs run daily. Cultural teachers ensure that Inuit culture and language are a part of the curriculum and activities. Dramatic play areas include toys such as a drum, a child sized quillik, traditional clothing and arctic animals.

OICC also oﬀers a continuum of family wellbeing programs and services, as well as Inuit cultural programming for the whole family. “Last week we got a seal in from Nunavut and butchered and ate it together at the centre. It brought tears of satisfaction to our eyes to be able to do something so meaningful to us, even in the city,” according to Ina.

“OICC’s success is in part due to the funding we have secured over the years,” says Karen Baker-Anderson, executive director of OICC. “It costs us $90 / day / kid to run our childcare program that provides country food, cultural teachers, transportation, parental support and more, but most of our families could not aﬀord it without the subsidies.”

For more information: http://www.ottawainuitchildrens.com/

9 Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (2005). Inuit early learning and childcare discussion paper. Ottawa, Ontario: Author. 10 For a discussion of this possibility see: Rowan, M.C. (2014). Linking early childhood learning in Aotearoa with practices and possibilities in Inuit Nunangat. Northern Public Aﬀairs, April, 42 -48. www.northernpublicaﬀairs.ca

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5. Rationale and Evidence

Access to aﬀordable ELCC aﬀects women’s participation in the labour force and helps provide a healthier and safer living environment for their families and children as they develop.

Eﬀect on Inuit Women’s Economic further implications on future employment and skills Development and Participation training opportunities and the future economic well-

As the primary caregivers to children, Inuit women have being and success of a woman’s family. a strong interest in and need for childcare programs, In addition, Inuit women are disproportionately to work in the wage economy, attend secondary or post- employed in ELCC centres. Studies find this work is often secondary education, or to participate in training low paying, seasonal and without benefits, which greatly programs. Access to affordable ELCC affects women’s compromises the economic independence of Inuit participation in the labour force and helps provide a women who work in ELCC spaces. It also affects the healthier and safer living environment for their families quality of the education children receive, 13 and results and children as they develop. in high turnover and low morale for staff, impacting

According to Statistics Canada, 58 percent of Inuit child/educator/family relationships and consistency of

14 18-44 years of age have not completed high school com - education for children. pared to 11 percent in the non-indigenous population 11 .

Of those, two-thirds (66 percent) of Inuit girls identified Effect on health and wellness personal or family related issues as the main reason Inuit face significant challenges when we look at indicators compared to their Inuit male counterparts (37 percent). 12 of health and wellbeing. For example, the suicide rate

Family responsibilities provide challenges (including among Inuit youth in Inuit Nunangat is 30 times that of child rearing, care of elderly, sick, etc.) that redirect Inuit youth in the rest of Canada 15 . Child abuse, neglect and from completing high school, especially for women. even the physical disciplining of children is not a part of

Subsequently, the decision to leave high school will have Inuit history or culture. Yet, the prevalence of physical and

11 Statistics Canada (2015) “Aboriginal Peoples Survey” Part B. Retrieved on July 3, 2017: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-653-x/2013001/article/part-partie-b-eng.htm 12 Statistics Canada (2015) “Aboriginal Peoples Survey: Data Tables, 2012,” The Daily , November 11, available at http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/151109/dq151109b-cansim-eng.htm. 13 Barnett, W.S. (2003). Low wages = low quality: Solving the real preschool teacher crisis. Preschool Policy Matters , 3, 1 -7. 14 Barnett, W.S. (2003). Low wages = low quality: Solving the real preschool teacher crisis. Preschool Policy Matters , 3, 1 -7. 15 Lisa N. Oliver, Paul A. Peters and Dafna E. Kohen. Mortality rates among children and teenagers living in Inuit Nunangat, 1994 to 2008. Statistics Canada . 2015.

11 NATIONAL INDIGENOUS EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE FRAMEWORK

sexual violence is disturbingly high in Inuit communities. In the past two decades, ample evidence has indicated Nearly one-third of Inuit respondents to the 2004 Nunavik that preschool, early learning or “pre-kindergarten” Inuit Health Survey reported being made to perform or programs enhance wellbeing in many domains of adult having the behaviour of sexual touch performed or health and wellness 18,19,20 and provides broader economic attempted on them during childhood 16 . beneﬁts to society. 21,22,23 Positive outcomes of these Focusing on the early years and ensuring children grow programs include: being more likely to graduate from

up in safe, nurturing, trauma-informed and predictable high school and/or obtain a university degree 24,25,26 ; environments, such as with quality ELCC programming, having better socio-economic status (e.g. higher income, can provide long-term optimal wellbeing and resiliency. access to health insurance in the US); having higher Furthermore, nearly 70 percent of Inuit preschoolers scores on math, cognitive, and language tests after

reside in food insecure households, 17 which can lead to less participation in the program 27 ; having stronger social than optimal physical, mental and emotional develop - skills 28 ; and having steady employment and less need for ment. Early childhood programs can act as an important social assistance. 29,30 Participants are also less likely to mitigating factor that can improve access to nutritious have been arrested or interact with the justice-system, food among preschoolers by providing a minimum of and are less likely to abuse alcohol or drugs. 31 two meals per day to children enrolled in the program.

16 Francine Lavoie et al., Prevalence and Nature of Sexual Violence in Nunavik. Nunavik, QC: Institut national de sante publique du Quebec and Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services . 4. 17 Inuit Health Survey, 2007-2008. QHRC QHRC. Inunnguiniq Parenting Program Curriculum Manual. Iqaluit, NU: Qaujigiartiit Health Research Centre; 2014. 18 Fortin, Pierre, Luc Godbout and Suzie St-Cerny (2012) "Impact of Québec's Universal Low Fee Childcare Program on Female Labour Force Participation, Domestic Income, and Government Budgets," Universite de Sherbrooke, Working Paper 2012/02. 19 Tagataga Inc. (2007) "Inuit Early Childhood Education and Care: Present Successes - Promising Directions: A Discussion Paper for the National Inuit Education Summit." 20 Braveman P, Barclay C. Health disparities beginning in childhood: a life-course perspective. Pediatrics. 2009;124(Suppl 3):163-75. 21 Barnett W. Effectiveness of Early Educational Intervention. Science. 2011;333(975):975-80. 22 Zigler E GW, Jones SM. . A vision for universal preschool education. . New York: Cambridge University Press; 2006. 23 Reynolds AJ, Temple JA, Ou S, Arteaga IA, White BA. School-Based Early Childhood Education and Age- Wellbeing: Effects by Timing, Dosage, and Subgroups. . Science. 2011;333(6040):360-64. 24 Ibid 25 Schweinhart LJ. The High/Scope Perry Preschool Study Through Age 40: Summary, Conclusions and Frequently Asked Questions. Ypsilanti: High/Scope Educational Research Foundation; n.d. 26 Campbell FA, Pungello, E. P., Burchinal, M., Kainz, K., Pan, Y., Wasik, B. H., Ramey, C. T. Adult outcomes as a function of an early childhood educational program: An Abecedarian Project follow-up. Developmental Psychology. 2012;48(4):1033-43. 27 Martin S. An early childhood intervention programme and the long-term outcomes for students. Childcare in Practice. 2010;16(3):257-74. 28 Ibid 29 Campbell FA, Pungello, E. P., Burchinal, M., Kainz, K., Pan, Y., Wasik, B. H., Ramey, C. T. . Adult outcomes as a function of an early childhood educational program: An Abecedarian Project follow-up. Developmental Psychology. 2012;48(4):1033-43. 30 Reynolds AJ, Temple JA, Ou S, Arteaga IA, White BA. School-Based Early Childhood Education and Age- Wellbeing: Effects by Timing, Dosage, and Subgroups. . Science. 2011;333(6040):360-64. 31 Ibid

12 EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA INUIT SUBMISSION

6. Existing ELCC in Inuit Regions, Provinces, Territories

There are many successes and assets that Inuit communities and programs identiﬁed and would like to build on.

Early Learning and Childcare at a glance Table 1 describes the state of current ELCC programs Each Inuit region has unique assets and needs regarding in each Inuit region. Column one illustrates the number ELCC. This section briefly outlines some of the facts and of communities that currently have no child care centres. figures regarding ELCC in each region, including the Most notably is the Qikiqtaaluk region in which 7 of 13 urban regions where Inuit live across Canada. It will also communities do not have childcare centres and in urban summarize what was heard during the regional engage - areas where the only Inuit-specific program is housed in ment session, including assets, needs and gaps. Ottawa. Column two and three depict the number of

Table 1: The State of ELCC in Inuit Region

Region # Communities # FNICCI funded # FNICCI funded # on waiting lists # Aboriginal without child child care centres child care spaces Head Start (AHS) care centres / programs / # Communities # communities with no AHS

Nunatsiavut 0 / 5 5 130 10 2 / 5

Nunavik 0 / 14 19 1009 33 464 19 / 0

Qikiqtaaluk 734 / 13 22 233 910 2 / 13

Kivalliq 1 / 7 9 140 30 3 / 7

Kitikmeot 1 / 5 4 134 0 2 / 5

Inuvialuit 135 / 5 3 63 13 2 / 3

Urban (speciﬁc to Inuit) All but 0 0 NA ? Ottawa / many

Numbers in red are 2014, all other numbers are from 2017

32 Lists are kept differently in each region so these numbers should only be considered estimates. 33 In Nunavik, the Kativik Regional Government manages Aboriginal Head Start and licensed childcare. This figure represents the total number of licensed childcare spaces in the Region. Programs do not include all 6 components of AHS given the funding provided. 34 Reasons for closures of these centres were different: Damages to frozen pipes, mismanagements of funds, 1 child would be registered in Hall Beach, the manager relocated to another community and the society did not hire a replacement (lacking of board support). Lack of bookkeeping skills by management. 35 This centre is in Sachs Harbour and has a licensed program, but no federally funded.

13 NATIONAL INDIGENOUS EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE FRAMEWORK

communities and regions, ITK and the IECDWG developed

For the most part, these elders are not formally Katiqsugat: Inuit Early Learning Resources, an online

recognized for their knowledge and expertise library through which educators and families can find and thus encounter unnecessary barriers to and share Inuit-specific ECE tools, resources, ideas and filling this vital role in ELCC programs and materials (http://katiqsugat.itk.ca). services. Elders want to teach Inuktut and our way of life

Many elders are driven by the desire to pass on their lan -

FNICCI funded child care centres as well as the number guage and culture to the next generation of Inuit, and

of child care centres that are funded and the number of in so doing, raise conﬁdent, healthy Inuit. For the most child care spaces. Column four shows the wait lists that part, these elders are not formally recognized for their

exists in each Region for child care centre spaces. This knowledge and expertise and thus encounter unnecessary does not reﬂect that need for additional Aboriginal Head barriers to ﬁlling this vital role in ELCC programs and services.

Start spaces or other early learning programs. Column The funding for current programs do not recognize and

ﬁve illustrates the current number of AHS programs available value this need by allocating funds to pay Elders properly. in each region compared to the number of communities with no access to AHS. Overall, this table shows the dis - FNICCI and AHS funding crepancy between Regions to access federal funding and Federal government funding has been vital to the provision of childcare and ELCC programs in Inuit regions over the urgent need for quality programs in all communities. the past 20 years through FNICCI and the AHS program.

Assets Only 8 childcare centres existed across Inuit Nunangat in

There are many successes and assets that Inuit commu - 1995 36 , whereas there are 69 today. Without this funding,

nities and programs identiﬁed and would like to build on. many of these programs and centres would not exist. The following is a description of some of these assets. Inuit Early Childhood Development Working Group (IECDWG) Tools for Inuktut teaching (books, songs, etc.) This working group has been a powerful collective space

Out of the desire and need to teach children Inuktut, for Inuit organizations to collaborate over the past 16 many regions have produced their own teaching tools years in order to create Inuit ECD strategy direction,

and materials. In order to share these resources across generate research papers and policy recommendations,

36 Assessing the Impact of the First Nations and Inuit childcare Initiative (FNICCI) across Inuit Nunangat. Inuit Tapariit Kanatami, August 2014.

14 EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA INUIT SUBMISSION

and to develop a strong, united Inuit voice in support of faced in accessing those services, ranging from language children. This work would not be possible without ITK’s to racism). There is one Inuit-specific Aboriginal Head multi-year funding agreement with Health Canada. Start program, the Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre which receives a small portion of its funding from AHSUNC and Innovative Early Learning and Childcare Training Programs in Communities provides a full range of programs and services grounded in In response to the needs of communities, some innovative Inuit culture and language (see box 2). Unfortunately, this training programs have been developed to support ELCC is the only Inuit-specific childcare centre and Aboriginal training and capacity development. The St. Felicien’s Head Start Program outside of Inuit Nunangat. training program developed in partnership with Kativik Regional Government in Nunavik has created the oppor - Needs — What we heard tunity for Early Childhood Educators to train in their home During the engagement sessions, there was opportunity communities and at childcare centres through a successful for each participant to discuss challenges and identify apprenticeship model in Inuktut. This community based what is needed to realize the vision of an Inuit-centred model for training is essential to build capacity, maintain ELCC system. The following is a summary of the highest staff retention and build confidence in early learning. See priority needs that were identified from all of the sessions. box 3 for another example from Nunavut. ELCC is Under-valued by Governments Ongoing professional development is an essential and Communities aspect of quality programming. In 2010, ITK and the Staff who work in early childhood development are on the IECDWG hosted a National Inuit ECE Gathering in Happy front-line of many issues. While they have ambitions to run Valley-Goose Bay, NL. This training event brought together programs that nurture and support the next generation 100 Inuit educators and staff from all Inuit communities of Inuit, they are weighed down by the challenges that and urban sites to learn, share, inspire, create a sense of come in their doors everyday: food insecurity, children belonging and value for ECE, while be grounded in Inuit with disabilities ranging from FASD to ADHD, and inter - knowledge and wisdom. It took 11 years to fundraise for generational trauma just to name a few. Staff have little this event and its impact is still felt today in communities. or no training to support these children, nor is there enough specialized staff to support these children (from Urban Inuit have access to childcare and family programs health, social services, education or other departments). Unlike their Northern counterparts, Urban Inuit can In most regions, these challenges are compounded by access the same variety of programs and services as the job insecurity, low salaries and lack of benefits which are rest of the population (although many barriers are still disproportionately felt by Inuit women who hold the vast

15 NATIONAL INDIGENOUS EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE FRAMEWORK

Box 3: Ikajuqtigiinniq – Partnerships that Work for Community-Based Training

“We’ve fostered the IQ principle of ikajuqtigiinniq (working together for a common cause) by creating a preschool in Pond Inlet through a partnership with the Nunavut Arctic College (NAC),” according to Karen Nutarak and Tessa Lochhead, co-founders of Pirurvik Preschool. Karen and Tessa succeeded in bringing a 2-year ECE diploma program to take place in Pond Inlet during the 2015-2017 academic period. Pirurvik preschool thus provided a practicum location and learning environment for the NAC practicum requirements. “The ECE diploma students are now ready for full time employment at the preschool in their own community after having studied in their home community throughout this 2-year period.”

The Pirurvik Preschool in Pond Inlet, Nunavut, provides Early Childhood Education that is child centred and based on the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) principles and is enriched through the use of Montessori materials. “We are guided by the IQ principle Pilimmaksarniq , which allows children to learn at their own pace” says Lochhead. “Both IQ and Montessori put the emphasis of learning in the hands of the child by trusting her to know what she needs.”

This innovative partnership allows for the development and delivery of a high quality ELCC program for children with qualiﬁed staﬀ (as required by territorial regulations) along with educational and employment opportunities for adults within their own community.

majority of the positions in ELCC. Many regions do not FNICCI funding has not kept pace with the rate of

have the budget to pay staﬀ through the summer, forcing inﬂation or population growth and has left most childcare

them to apply for Employment Insurance. Due to the centres to stretch meager budgets more every year. The

yearly funding cycle that most regions are subject to, staﬀ needs of many of the children combined with lack of

and managers are never sure of their budgets for the training, outside support and low wages leave staﬀ with

coming ﬁscal year, and are thus unable to plan or rely on an overall sense of being undervalued. having a job in September. Further, with the high cost of There is a need to coordinate and simplify living in the north and salary rates barely above the the administration and funding of ELCC and poverty line ($15-20 an hour), those that are dedicated to other family wellness programs teaching young children are often forced to make hard Many administrators of regional ELCC programs also manage

decisions to leave their positions for higher paying jobs the regions’ family wellness programs, including Health

in the community (see Box 4). Unsurprisingly, this results Canada programs like: Community Action Program for

in high staﬀ turnover that limits the ability of childcare Children, Canadian Prenatal Nutrition Program, and Brighter centres to improve the quality or capacity of their centres. Futures. They spend the majority of their time managing

16 EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA INUIT SUBMISSION

funding relationships, including submitting grant appli - In urban centres in particular, but also in cations, reports and fulfilling licensing and regulatory northern regions, there is a desire to establish requirements. In addition to being time consuming, these Inuit Family Resource Centres that would programs come from outside the community and may or may support the entire family with cultural and not respond to specific community needs. Communities wellness programing, including ELCC. need more flexibility and at times, access to larger pots of money to fund family resource centres and community programs that truly reflect community needs. urban regions, only Ottawa has Inuit-specific programing

at the Ottawa Inuit Childcare Centre (see Box 2). While AHS All Inuit children need access to the lifelong beneﬁts of culturally appropriate ELCC and Programs are oﬀered in many urban areas, participants family wellness programs reported that these are more accurately First Nations

Table 1 demonstrates that there are 10 communities in Head Start programs as they contain little or no Inuit-

Inuit Nunangat that have no licensed childcare centres speciﬁc content (see Box 5). The current pan-Indigenous and another 27 without AHS Programs, denying children approach to ELCC in urban and rural Canada does not in those communities the right to the beneﬁts of ELCC. In work for Inuit.

Box 4: Putting the High Cost of Living into Perspective

“Since funding provided for ELCC wages in the north is so low, most employees I have can barely get by week to week,” says Alexandria Desroches, Early Childhood Programs Manager with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. “I have many staﬀ asking for advance payments. One needed an advance at the beginning of May so she could pay her power bill otherwise the power company was going to turn it oﬀ. But there was nothing I could do, sadly, since our budgets are largely dictated by Federal and Territorial funding program agreements.”

The cost of living in the North is higher than anywhere in southern Canada. Groceries are expensive, for example a brick of cheese costs $20, and is even more expensive in more remote communities . Rent is comparable to living downtown in a big city and over the winter months 24-hour darkness makes for sky high utility bills. For some families housing and power bills are subsidized but not enough so that workers still have enough money left at the end of the week for much more.

“This employee and her children ended up being without power or heat for 5 days until her next pay cheque, during a season when we are still wearing winter coats,” says Desroches. “I can only imagine in those 5 days what else she went without.”

17 NATIONAL INDIGENOUS EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE FRAMEWORK

northern regions, there is a desire to establish Inuit Family For Urban Inuit, these resources would be Resource Centres that would support the entire family most useful if they were adaptable for use in with cultural and wellness programing, including ELCC. current programs such as Aboriginal Head Start Programs or other childcare centres that Educational Inuit cultural and language programs, curriculum and tools are needed wish to oﬀer Inuit cultural programming. Unanimously, all regions and urban sessions expressed this need. While many have done what they can on their

During urban engagement sessions, participants own, they recognize the value of having a concerted identified the need for Inuit-specific family wellness and pan-Inuit effort to create curriculum and programs that early learning programs and facilities, and for greater are developed by Inuit, from an Inuit world-view, and are access to Inuit culture more generally. They reported rooted in Inuit values and practices of childrearing. These barriers in access to programs and services including: should be flexible enough to be adapted to each region language; lack of culturally appropriate services and and communities’ needs and be accompanied by options racism; transportation; and cost. Urban Inuit risk the loss to translate the tool into different dialects. For Urban of connection with their identity due in part to the fact Inuit, these resources would be most useful if they were that Inuit are dispersed across Canada and lack the adaptable for use in current programs such as Aboriginal resources to come together to celebrate their culture Head Start Programs or other childcare centres that wish and identity. In urban centres in particular, but also in to offer Inuit cultural programming.

Box 5: Urban Inuit Speak… Mi’kmaq?

Halifax, Nova Scotia

“There is nothing here – no programs at all – that reﬂect Inuit culture,” says Desiree, an Inuk/Metis mother originally from Labrador and now living in Halifax, NS. Her son is learning the Mi’kmaq language and culture instead of his own at school and at after school activities (such as those run by the local Friendship Centre and Children's Centre). “There are no opportunities here for my son to learn about who he is, to learn Inuit language or culture.”

The death of Loretta Saunders, an advocate for the Inuit community in Nova Scotia, brought Desiree and others to recognize the need for Inuit culture in their family’s lives. Loretta was vocal about the lack of Inuit resources in Halifax and inspired the establishment of Atelihai Inuit, a newly formed group who have been working hard to remedy this by representing Inuit needs and advocating for Inuit speciﬁc programming and cultural resources. Desiree says, “There have been many obstacles to getting Atelihai Inuit going, but we are determined.”

18 EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA INUIT SUBMISSION

Box 6: The seven deadly violations

“It was surprising, but not entirely unexpected,” said Jenny Lyall, regional childcare coordinator with the Nunatsiavut Government, about the seven violation orders received on June 7, 2017. “We know that we are at risk of breaking regulations every day, but we don’t have much of a choice if we want to keep the childcare centres open in Nunatsiavut.”

Nunatsiavut is the Inuit land claims region at the northern tip of Labrador and even though they have a self- government, falls under the jurisdiction of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). In NL regulations require that childcares be operated by staff with a level 2 training in ELCC and that staff that work with kids must have level 1. While this sounds good in theory, the reality in remote Inuit communities is quite another, where there are few if any people available to hire with these qualifications.

“We do our best, but people just don’t want to leave their families for such a long period (1-2 years) to get training. This leaves us vulnerable to having our childcare centres closed every day, leaving families without any options in their community.”

Nunatsiavut needs ﬂexible regulations that recognize the unique challenges in remote Inuit communities that seeks to supports them in these challenges, rather than penalizing them and the members of their communities. Training options that take place in communities so that women don’t need to leave their families would also help in increasing the numbers of trained staﬀ.

Capacity building and training is needed support staff, cooks, Inuit knowledge keepers). Early across the ELCC sector childhood education diplomas need to have community Training and retaining staff is an ongoing obstacle to based, hands on training so that staff don’t have to leave increasing the quality of care in programs and meeting their communities (for examples of how this can work, see the childcare regulation needs. Training is needed for early Box 3). Ongoing professional development opportunities childhood educators, but also for directors (who often have also need to be accessible from remote communities and no management training), boards of directors (who often cover a wide range of topics in Inuit-centred early learning have no experience or understanding of their role) and other pedagogy, child development, and support for those staff involved in the childcare system (i.e. pedagogical with special needs, first aid, etc. 37

37 For an in depth look at Inuit ELCC training needs and proposed solutions, see Understanding the Training Needs of Early Childhood Educators across Inuit Nunangat (ITK 2014).

19 NATIONAL INDIGENOUS EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE FRAMEWORK

ELCC programs need more space and • In Nunatsiavut, people do not wear helmets and so improved facilities for children and staff no one owns helmets for their children. This means The housing and infrastructure crisis in Inuit communities that daycares cannot take children out on the land affects the ability of ELCC programs to find adequate, due to safety regulations (which stipulate that children must wear helmets on skidoos). well designed and healthy spaces in which to run their • In Nunatsiavut, Inuvialuit and to some degree in programs. Some regions have reported having to shut Nunavut, there have been problems with childcare down childcare sites due to mould, sewage issues or centres serving country foods due to public health other repair needs. Nunatsiavut centres report having to regulations that are intended to regulate the industrial / market food system, not hunted squeeze programs into one room without sufficient and harvested foods. space for children to nap in silence, or for older children • All regions reported encountering problems with to concentrate. Each region and each community has very employing elders as language and culture educators specific needs regarding space. Unfortunately, efforts in their program, due to lack of training and certification. on the part of governments (Federal and Provincial/ • Some ELCC staff reported that they had not left to Territorial) to support renovations or new buildings are pursue a post-secondary education due to the fact lost on many Inuit communities due to unrealistic time - that they would lose their social housing place. lines and budgets that fail to account for the Northern Despite the innovation and resourcefulness of Inuit reality where there are few contractors (and thus obtaining communities to develop brilliant programming with very 3 quotations is often not possible), where shipping little, the urgent needs in the area of ELCC is clearly seasons for equipment and materials is very short and demonstrated through the conversations and stories where buildings require up to a year just to plan. heard throughout Canada during our engagement.

Regulatory barriers to Inuit-speciﬁc programming need to be removed Most regions reported on some kind of regulatory barrier that impeded the success of the program and / or its ability to have Inuit speciﬁc programming (see Box 6).

20 EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA INUIT SUBMISSION

7. Current Federal Government Policy, Programming and Funding

The new NIELCC can establish a partnership relationship, rather than a relationship of dependency and oversight.

In 1995, the Federal Government in partnership with education indicators between Indigenous children living First Nations and Inuit organizations developed the First with and without adversity. Nations and Inuit Childcare Initiative (FNICCI) as part of Inuit ELCC would not be what it is today without the now named Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training FNICCI and AHSUNC. For most Inuit regions (other than Strategy (ASETS). It supported the construction of child - Nunavik) these two sources of funding provide core care centres in its ﬁrst phase (1995-98) and continues to funding to Inuit organizations to deliver ELCC programs support wage and operations funding that is vital to and centres in communities (including salaries and the childcare system in Inuit Nunangat 38 . FNICCI money operating costs). In some regions, core budgets are accounts for 58 percent to 100 percent of funding for augmented by other Federal / Provincial / Territorial (FPT) ELCC in Inuit regions, except in Nunavik (Quebec) where project funding. For example, some family resource the provincial government provides 90 percent of centres oﬀer programming for parents and children in their budget as part of a province-wide universal ELCC one space and will seek out funding through Canadian program (see Appendix B for details). Prenatal Nutrition Program, Brighter Futures, and equiv - Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Commu - alent provincial or territorial funding. Heritage Canada nities (AHSUNC), the program funded by the Public recently announced increased funding for the preservation

Health Agency of Canada, provides community-based of Indigenous languages 39 that has been used by ELCC programming to support Aboriginal children’s physical, language programs in NU and NWT. Parents also contribute emotional, mental and spiritual development. Established to operating costs through daily fees. in 1995, AHS funds 134 programs across the country and The primary problem with FNICCI and AHSUNC is that has struck a good balance between providing both funding has not increased since the programs were guidance and ﬂexibility to enable community-speciﬁc established over 20 years ago. Many communities who program delivery. Evaluation of AHS has demonstrated were not aware of these programs in 1995 have been left the program’s ability to help ‘close the gap’ in health and out of these funding opportunities since the funding

38 This funding is not available to Inuit or Inuit centred ELCC outside of Inuit regions. 39 https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/news/2017/05/unprecedented_supportforindigenous- languageservicesinthenorthwes.html

21 NATIONAL INDIGENOUS EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE FRAMEWORK

Image II: Funding Flows from Federal Government to ELCC in Inuit Communities in Nunavut 43

Health Heritage PHAC Canada ESDC Canada

AHSUNCNC FNICCINICCII

Nun avut Department Department Tunngavik Inc Department of Department of of Health of Education Family Services Culture & Heritage

KIA KIA QIA (Kivalliq) (Kitkimeot)

Municipalities Kakivak Kivalliq Assoc Partners Distr ict Education Authority Childcare Parents/Foster Centres

Abo riginal Parenting and Lan guage Head Start Family Programs Programs

envelopes were never increased such as AHS in Nunavut For Inuit living outside of Inuit Nunangat, the situation is where only 7 communities have programs out of 25 (see quite diﬀerent. FNICCI funding is not available to them and Table 1). Funding has not kept pace with population they face barriers to receiving funding for Inuit-speciﬁc

growth, (which increased by 26 percent between 1996 ELCC programs 42 . Many report that while they appreciate

and 2006 40 ) or the rate of inﬂation (46 percent between AHS, programming largely represents First Nations

1996 and 2017 41 ). Administrators and managers have culture, providing none of the Inuit culture and identity been forced to spread resources more and more thinly, that parents often hope for from this program (see Box 5). contributing to low staﬀ wages and to waiting lists for Image II demonstrates some of the complexity faced families that require childcare in order to go to work or by ELCC programs and centres in navigating the mix of

school. FPT funding programs 44 that support ELCC, parenting,

40 http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-645-x/2010001/growth-pop-croissance-eng.htm 41 http://www.bankofcanada.ca/rates/related/inﬂation-calculator/ 42 According to engagement session reports 43 Created for the purposes of this report through conversation with staﬀ at Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. 44 It would be even more complex were it to include licensing, monitoring and training.

22 EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA INUIT SUBMISSION

family and language programs. The three federal depart - The new NIELCC Framework presents an ments and one agency (PHAC) (yellow dots) that fund opportunity to rethink existing frameworks ELCC have diverse routes through which to fund community programs or centres (orange dots), with PHAC funding that have perpetuated assimilation and AHS programs directly and ESDC and Heritage Canada colonialism through funding programs, providing funding to the Government of Nunavut (green funding models, monitoring and reporting. dots) or the Inuit organizations (blue dots), who in turn provide it to communities (often through their own be debilitating and even lethal to eﬀorts to keep centres programs). As discussed previously, Health Canada also open (see Box 7). provides some family health programs (CPNP, CAPC, Each of the regions has distinct jurisdictional divisions Brighter Futures, etc.) that also run through provincial based on the land claims agreement in the region (see departments. For managers of community programs and Appendix C for a review of jurisdictional divisions regard - centres, or parents wishing to start something in their ing ELCC in each region). As in Nunavik, a large factor in community, this provides a maze of entry points, govern - accessibility has to do with the level of support that ELCC ment forms and diverse reporting requirements that can has from the provincial government. As a signatory to

Box 7: Establishing Ivvavik Childcare Centre

“The most important ingredient to our success was determination,” says Sandi Vincent, one of the founding members and currently Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of Ivvavik Daycare Centre, Nunavut’s newest childcare centre. “It was a time consuming and frustrating process, first being registered as a non-profit society in Nunavut, then finding suitable space in a town with a housing crisis and then looking for operational funding from different sources.”

Two years ago, ﬁve women in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut set about establishing a childcare centre so they could work and go to school knowing that their children were in a safe, nurturing, educational environment. A major challenge for them was trying to develop the childcare centre before they had childcare themselves. “At one point, we had 12 small children attending our meetings!” says Stephanie Lachance, a founding board member.

“There simply must be greater support for groups wanting to start a centre,” she said, referring to the long list of government forms, by-laws, unhelpful staﬀ and impenetrable websites that take too long to load. The group has several suggestions for making the process simpler, including having by-law templates and policies, and a master “check list” list.

23 NATIONAL INDIGENOUS EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE FRAMEWORK

UNDRIP (United Nations Declaration on the Rights of they oﬀer them must be changed. Provincial regulatory Indigenous People) and UNCRC (United Nations Charter oversight of food and safety regulations and licenses for on the Rights of the Child), Canada has an obligation to childcare centres must equally be questioned in this light. determine how best to provide equity of access to The new NIELCC Framework presents an opportunity to childcare that leverages existing resources while not rethink existing frameworks that have perpetuated abdicating provinces and territories of responsibilities to assimilation and colonialism through funding programs, also contribute to the wellbeing and education of Inuit funding models, monitoring and reporting. The new children. NIELCC can establish a partnership relationship, rather Funding models that undermine local communities’ than a relationship of dependency and oversight. ability to decide what programs they oﬀer and how

24 EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA INUIT SUBMISSION 8. Governance – Considering ELCC within the context of Inuit Crown Partnerships and an Inuit Nunangat Fiscal Policy Space

This diversity in governance across Inuit Nunangat creates unnecessary barriers to advancing the vision of an Inuit-centred ELCC system that is equitable across Inuit Nunangat and urban Inuit and rooted in Inuit Societal Values and IQ.

Currently, ELCC is governed differently in each of the four to Inuit-centred ELCC result from provincial and territorial Inuit regions (see Appendix B). The Nunatsiavut government regulation around licensing of childcare centres. Often manages several federal funding sources, which enables this is because provinces and territories do not under - program administrators to work with communities in stand Inuit cultural and traditional practices and there is determining appropriate community-specific programs, no Inuit-specific content. To ensure that standards and including but not exclusively licensed childcare. The regulations concerning Inuit ECE meet Inuit priorities, Inuit Inuvialuit Regional Corporation also manages regional must be involved in the legislative processes of creating childcare funding programs. In Nunavik, the Kativik those regulations. Stronger partnership and collaboration Regional Government (KRG) has signed a 23 year funding between Inuit organizations and the provincial and agreement with the Province of Quebec, which positions territorial governments is essential to resolve these KRG to accept the Quebec rules and regulations for licensed barriers. childcare, and in turn KRG, monitors, licenses, funds and On February 9th, 2017, Inuit leaders and Prime Minister supports licensed childcare in the region (see Box 8). Justin Trudeau signed the Inuit Nunangat Declaration on KRG also administers the regional Aboriginal Head Start an Inuit-Crown Partnership, in Iqaluit, Nunavut. This bilateral and FNICCI funds through investments in their licensed partnership between Inuit and the Government of Canada childcare program. This is in sharp contrast to Nunavut, was established to collaborate on shared priorities, based where many discrete programs operate in a myriad of on recognition of Inuit rights, with the goals of achieving funding proposals and reports. reconciliation and prosperity for Inuit and for all Canadians 45 . This diversity in governance across Inuit Nunangat The Inuit Crown Partnership Committee (ICPC) meet - creates unnecessary barriers to advancing the vision of ings began in May 2017 and are scheduled to be held an Inuit-centred ELCC system that is equitable across Inuit quarterly, providing a significant opportunity for Inuit and

Nunangat and urban Inuit and rooted in Inuit Societal Crown representatives to collaborate on joint priorities. Values and IQ. For example, there are jurisdictional barriers ELCC is a shared priority area, which opens important

45 Government of Canada, ITK (2017). Inuit Nunangat Declaration. Retrieved June 30, 2017 from: https://www.itk.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/English-Inuit-Nunangat-Declaration.pdf

25 NATIONAL INDIGENOUS EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE FRAMEWORK

Nunangat approach recognizes Inuit self-determination The Inuit-Crown Partnership provides an and mobilizes an Inuit-Crown relationship by enabling opportunity for Inuit across Canada to Inuit organizations to develop their own relationships work together in negotiating what is best with the federal Crown and provide programs and for Inuit, including equitable treatment services directly to Inuit. across Inuit Nunangat. The Inuit-Crown Partnership provides an opportunity

for Inuit across Canada to work together in negotiating possibilities in reconceptualising Inuit ELCC from Inuit what is best for Inuit, including equitable treatment perspectives, within an Inuit Nunangat ﬁscal policy space. across Inuit Nunangat. This will enable Inuit to determine

An Inuit Nunangat ﬁscal policy space is one which priorities in terms of allocating resources for programs provides the same level and quality of services to Inuit for children and families. Adopting an Inuit Nunangat across Inuit Nunangat, while recognizing the diversity of approach would entail single window federal funding arrangements regional Inuit organizations have with would ﬂow directly to regional and urban Inuit organ- federal, provincial and territorial governments. An Inuit izations 46 .

Box 8: A Model Funding System: Block Funding in Nunavik

Nunavik, the Inuit region of Quebec, has 19 childcare centres throughout the settlement region that are run by the Kativik Regional Government (KRG). KRG is responsible for funding, licensing and supporting the childcare centres. KRG receives 90 percent of its funding from the Government of Quebec as well as from Employment and Social Development Canada (FNICCI), and The Public Health Agency of Canada (AHSUNC). (see Table X)

Nunavik, KRG, and the Government of Quebec have a 23-year block-funding transfer agreement that amalgamates funding from several Quebec departments and agencies for social services, economic development (2004-2027). The agreement secures stable and foreseeable long-term funding for ELCC (and other programs) while at the same time placing decision-making about priorities and implementation at the regional level.

“I can’t imagine how other regions manage with the small budgets and yearly funding cycles,” says Julie-Ann Berthe, assistant director of childcare at KRG. “Without a long-term agreement planning and supporting such an important system for children and their families would be close to impossible.”

See Appendix C for more on jurisdictions

46 The urban Inuit aspect of this policy space is still being discussed with leader, to be conﬁrmed.

26 EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA INUIT SUBMISSION

The human rights of Inuit children and families are affirmed by various international human rights instruments, In order to implement these rights, including Article (14), section 1 of the United Nations it is necessary for the Crown to play Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2008) a leadership role in supporting Inuit which states, “Indigenous people have the right to estab - cultural practices in all ELCC programs. lish and control their educational systems and institutions providing education in their own languages in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods of teaching and address the jurisdictional regulatory or other barriers that learning” (p. 7). Article 30 of the Convention on the Rights hinder full realization of Inuit human rights and Inuit self- of the Child (1989) provides that, “Minority or Indigenous determination. children have the rights to learn about and practice their For example, the Inuit Nunangat fiscal policy space own culture, language and religion”. The Government of could enable the operationalization of Inuit values in Inuit Canada has ratified the Convention and has committed ECE if this space was positioned to manage the allocation to unqualified implementation of the Declaration, in full of block funding administered through transfer agreements partnership with Indigenous peoples. dedicated to Inuit family wellness and ELCC. It could also In order to implement these rights, it is necessary for encourage the creation of culturally appropriate licensing the Crown to play a leadership role in supporting Inuit and regulatory frameworks with some consistency across cultural practices in all ELCC programs. Further, through regions that could either enter into negotiation with the Inuit-Crown relationship, the federal government Provinces and Territories or provide a framework for the should work with Inuit to identify ways and means to transfer of these responsibilities to Inuit organizations.

27 NATIONAL INDIGENOUS EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE FRAMEWORK

9. Monitoring Evaluation and Learning

A community-based approach to deﬁning evaluation goals and objectives as well as analysis of results is recommended in keeping with the overarching goal of an Inuit-centred ELCC system.

Effective monitoring and evaluation ensures a level of Reporting and monitoring are generally carried out in accountability and an assessment of what is working, such a way that they perpetuate a paternalistic relationship what needs adjusting and whether a program is having of dependence and colonialism. This new framework the impact it was intended to have. Evaluation frame - provides an opportunity for the federal government to works can be set up to respond to the original goals and shift its role into one of supporter of learning, reflection objectives identified by a community. An evaluation and growth. Many educators expressed how welcome framework for the new NIELCC Framework should strive it was to be asked their opinion during engagement for this practice. sessions. This spirit can easily be carried forward by Evaluation helps to ensure that a program is consistent providing space for collective reflection and sharing of with what people in communities want and set out to do experience within and between regions. Done correctly, together. If the eventual NIELCC Framework sets as an this could be an important part of shifting the relationship objective to support culturally relevant ELCC programing, between the federal government and Inuit. then it should not simply measure the number of child - In evaluation, as in all research activities related to care places it funds, but the quality of the program that Inuit wellbeing, efforts should be led by Inuit, and guided it funds and whether communities find the programming by Inuit knowledge and values. A child and family centred to be supportive of their cultural practices. learning framework, for example, is built on an Inuit Until now, evaluation of FNICCI has been based kinship and relationship model that is sustainable and largely on reporting of numbers (places filled and not measurable. This involves programming that is people filled, financial reports, etc.). Annual meetings of FNICCI centred, and knowledge and skills acquired from recipients have led to some reflexivity, but not consistently. experienced elders, relevant research and past practices. A community-based approach to defining evaluation A monitoring and reporting aspect is part of the learning goals and objectives as well as analysis of results is framework. recommended in keeping with the overarching goal of an Inuit-centred ELCC system.

28 EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA INUIT SUBMISSION

10. Recommendations for Change

The Inuit engagement process allowed us to listen, learn and appreciate of Inuit approaches to early learning and care, and to celebrate the possibility of establishing an Inuit ELCC system based within Inuit Societal Values.

The Inuit engagement process allowed us to listen, learn 2. Develop Inuit-speciﬁc early childhood development (ECD) curriculum, materials and appreciate of Inuit approaches to early learning and and teaching tools that are grounded in Inuit care, and to celebrate the possibility of establishing an knowledge and Inuit approaches to childrearing, nurturing and learning. Inuit ELCC system based within Inuit Societal Values. The Inuit ECD curriculum development will take place through following policy recommendations provide direction for meaningful collaboration with Inuit knowledge holders, further investment and program development for the Elders, educators and parents. This framework will be National Indigenous ELCC Framework to ensure that it is grounded in Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit. The curriculum will responsive to Inuit needs. also integrate a trauma-informed approach to help mitigate

adverse childhood experiences and support children as they 1. Provide adequate, integrated, multi-year funding directly to Inuit organizations through grow. Once completed, this framework must be flexible transfer agreements to provide Inuit-defined, high quality ELCC programs in every community and adaptable to meet regional and community needs in Inuit Nunangat. for a variety of early learning and family-centred programs Inuit Nunangat distinction based funding must be as well as accessible online through common sharing sufficient to address the recommendations below and space. be flexible enough to provide for Inuit-specific family Given the history of residential schools in Canada, the wellness programming, including ELCC, across Inuit support and development of an Inuit-specific curriculum

Nunangat as well as with Inuit living outside of Inuit framework is recognized as a signiﬁcant step towards

Nunangat. Integrated funding should encompass all self-determination, social equity, reconciliation and federal funding (including FNICCI, AHS, CAPC, Brighter cultural revitalization. Futures, etc) so that Inuit have choice and autonomy in the type of programming that best meet the needs of 3. Provide capital funds to build new and renovate existing buildings and playgrounds where their community including childcare centres, early learn - needed, as determined by communities. ing and family programs. The reality of building in Inuit Nunangat is complex and

time consuming and will thus beneﬁt from long-term

29 NATIONAL INDIGENOUS EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE FRAMEWORK

should model employer best practices including equitable Having a common place for Inuit compensation for women, provision of beneﬁts and in the urban environment is crucial stability, as well as a pay scale based on education and to overall wellbeing and health. experience. To demonstrate the value of ELCC educators, it is recommended that they have pay parity to teachers

in the K-12 educational system.

funding arrangements (recommendation 1). The Inuit 5. Develop and provide quality ECE training Nunangat policy space can provide a venue through programs for early childhood educators which the mechanisms for Inuit control of capital for ELCC grounded in Inuit knowledge as well as ongoing professional development opportunities for projects can be determined and honed in order to meet ELCC staﬀ and volunteers.

Inuit deﬁned structural requirements and health and Training and ongoing professional development oppor -

safety standards. As part of a strategy intended to move tunities are essential to quality Inuit-specific programming. toward Inuit self-determination, reconciliation and cul - These opportunities need to be accessible, both financially tural revitalization, it is essential that Inuit organizations and geographically, so that people who wish to be employed are provided with the funding and flexibility needed to in ELCC do not need to leave their families for training. meet the ELCC infrastructure needs of each community. Professional development must equally be accessible and

In an urban context, physical space is easier to procure relevant to the needs in communities, including: board due to longer construction seasons but is equally development; supporting children with special needs; challenging as there are very few Inuit specific facilities application of new Inuit-specific ELCC curriculum (recom - or facilities that are culturally safe for Inuit. Having a mendation 2); etc. There needs to be opportunities for common place for Inuit in the urban environment is Inuit educators, staff, board members to gather (nationally

crucial to overall wellbeing and health. and regionally) to explore and share best practices in Inuit early childhood education, to learn from one another, 4. Ensure educators, childcare centre managers, speak Inuktut and build Inuit knowledge in this area. Elders, program providers and staﬀ working in early learning and childcare receive proper compensation, taking into account the cost 6. Work towards Inuit self-determination of ELCC of living in Inuit Nunangat. licensing and regulations

There needs to be increased funding per ELCC space in Inuit face different licensing and regulation require - order to pay ELCC staff liveable wages and benefits. The ments depending on the province or territory in which majority of educators and staff in ELCC are Inuit women. the land claim has been negotiated. The Inuit Nunangat

As a government funded program, ELCC programming policy space can provide a consistent, centralized space

30 EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA INUIT SUBMISSION

create the programs and services that Urban Inuit need. Inuit have the right to access culturally and These funding programs must be distinction based for linguistically appropriate services no matter Inuit, and be ﬂexible and adaptable enough to meet where they live in Canada. Program funding community needs. Many of the recommendations above and support is required for community Inuit equally apply to the Urban Inuit ELCC context. As in leaders and organizations to come together recommendation 1, funding should be integrated, multi- and create the programs and services that year funding to Inuit organizations. Urban Inuit need. Conclusion from which to review and negotiate regulations so that The vision, guiding principles and recommendations they do not infringe on Inuit rights to practicing and from the Inuit engagement process clearly articulate an teaching our culture, including in ELCC. As partners with Inuit-centred ELCC system has to be self-determined. shared priorities, the Federal Government might support For Inuit, self-determination with ELCC means the right Inuit in negotiating regulatory and licensing changes to design, develop and deliver early learning programs, with Provinces and Territories. drawing on Inuit Societal Values and teachings, using methods that are Inuit-speciﬁc, evidence based and 7. Recognize and support Inuit children and families who are living outside of Inuit Nunangat globally informed. The evolving relationship between the by funding the creation and operation of Inuit- Crown and Indigenous peoples in Canada bodes well centred ELCC programs and family resources centres in urban areas. for the implementation of the aforementioned recom - Inuit have the right to access culturally and linguistically mendations. Fundamental to the shift in relationship appropriate services no matter where they live in Canada. between the federal government and Inuit from a Program funding and support is required for community colonial relationship to partnership is the shifting of the Inuit leaders and organizations to come together and funding relationship and accountability mechanisms.

31 NATIONAL INDIGENOUS EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE FRAMEWORK

Appendices

Appendix A List of contributors to this report The following participants contributed their time, knowledge and experience to the contents of this report. Total participants: 216

Engagement Session: Nain, Nunatsiavut March 15, 2017 Total participants: 30 Name Role Organization Aimee McIntosh AHS Childcare Worker Hopedale Ashley Abel AHS Childcare Worker Hopedale Georgia Abel AHS Childcare Worker Hopedale Gwen Lucy AHS Childcare Worker Hopedale Blanche Wolfrey Daycare Childcare Worker Rigolet Joyce Merkuratsuk Daycare Childcare Worker Nain Kelly Edmunds Daycare Childcare Worker Nain Lydia Karpik Daycare Childcare Worker Nain Marilyn Gear Daycare Childcare Worker Makkovik Michelle Solomon Daycare Childcare Worker Nain Naeme Tuglavina Daycare Childcare Worker Nain Stacey Jarause Daycare Childcare Worker Makkovik Sybella Torarak Daycare Childcare Worker Hopedale Tracey Dicker Daycare Childcare Worker Hopedale April Martin Daycare Operator Makkovik Franciska Mitsuk Daycare Operator Hopedale Karen Adams Daycare Operator Rigolet Lorraine Dicker Daycare Operator Nain Kaila De Boer Director of Mental Health Nain Frannie Harris Family Resource Centre Nain Sandra Dicker Family Resource Centre Nain Kristeen McTavish Food Security Coordinator Nain Agnes Abel Language Nest Worker Hopedale Bennie Merkuratsuk Language Nest Worker Nain Dina Nochasak Language Nest Worker Hopedale Edna Winters Language Nest Worker Nain Josephine Semigak Language Nest Worker Nain Carla Blake Play Group Worker Happy Valley Joahnnes Lampe President Nunatsiavut Government Jenny Lyall Regional Childcare Coordinator Happy Valley

32 EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA INUIT SUBMISSION

Engagement session: Kuujjuaq, Nunavik March 23, 2017 Total participants: 30 Name Role Organization Maggie Fleming Centre Director Saqliavik Julie-Ann Berthe Assistant Director KRG Amber Douthwright Childcare Counselor KRG Annie Augiak Childcare Counselor KRG Ariane Quirion Childcare Counselor KRG Jana Lingard Childcare Counselor KRG Jeannie Aragutak Childcare Counselor KRG Maryse Turcot Management Advisor KRG Kitty Emataluk Educator Amaartaivik Martha Usuarjuk Educator Amaarvik Ruta Mangiuk Educator Amaarvik Sarah Tooktoo Educator Amautik Minnie Annanack Educator Aqaivik CCC Jeannie Makiuk Educator Iqitauvik Penina Kleist Educator Iqitauvik Annie Kaitainak Educator Mikijuq Juani Elijassialuk Educator Sarliatauvik Nancy Putugu Educator Sarliatauvik Janet Quannanack Educator Tasiursivik Dora Inukpuk Educator Tasiurvik Elisapie Napartuk Educator Tasiurvik Ayaana Berthe Educator Tumaipiit Gloria Lingard Educator Tumiapiit

33 NATIONAL INDIGENOUS EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE FRAMEWORK

Engagement Session: Inuvik, Inuvialuit April 19-20, 2017 Total participants: 35 Name Role Organization Tracey Pope Acting Director Client Services/Manager, Northwest Territories Health & Social Rehabilitation & Health Promotion Services – Beaufort Delta Region Duane Smith Chair and Chief Executive Officer Inuvialuit Regional Corporation Maria Storr Early Childhood Intervention Coordinator Inuvialuit Regional Corporation Alice Kaodloak Early Childhood Educator – Language Teacher Ulukhaktok Child Development Centre Sallie Ross Early Childhood Consultant Government of Northwest Territories Alecia Lennie Early Childhood Educator Children First Society Brenda Kimiksana Early Childhood Educator Tuktoyaktuk Child Development Centre Catherine Katigakyok Early Childhood Educator Tuktoyaktuk Child Development Centre Donna Ruben Early Childhood Educator Paulatuk Aboriginal Headstart Dorothy Wolki Early Childhood Educator Tuktoyaktuk Child Development Centre Hester Cockney Early Childhood Educator Tuktoyaktuk Child Development Centre Miranda Taureau Early Childhood Educator Inuvik Aboriginal Headstart Natasha Olifie Early Childhood Educator Ulukhaktok Child Development Centre Sarah Rogers Elder Inuvik Evelyn Storr Executive Director, Community Development Inuvialuit Regional Corporation Patricia Davison Executive Director Children First Society Ruby Ruben Family Support Worker – Paulatuk Inuvialuit Regional Corporation Lorna Storr Grandparent Aklavik Child Development Centre Terri-Lee Kuptana Healthy Families Coordinator Tuktoyaktuk Healthy Families Program – GNWT Jim Arsenault Instructor – Early Childhood Certificate Aurora College Alex Desroches Manager, Early Childhood Programs Inuvialuit Regional Corporation Karlyn Blake Parent Aklavik Child Development Centre Irene Ruben Program Coordinator Paulatuk Aboriginal Headstart Jennifer Wolki Program Coordinator Tuktoyaktuk Child Development Centre Chelsey Weleschuk Regional Occupational Therapist Northwest Territories Health & Social Services – Beaufort Delta Region Chrissy Woodcock Regional Physiotherapist Northwest Territories Health & Social Services – Beaufort Delta Region Wanda McDonald Regional Superintendent of Education, Government of Northwest Territories Culture and Employment Nina Larsson Senior Advisor, Early Childhood Development Government of Northwest Territories Danielle Gruben Student, Early Childhood Education Aurora College Erin Felix Student, Early Childhood Education Aurora College Kimberly Neyando Student, Early Childhood Education Aurora College Kristen Lucas Student, Early Childhood Education Aurora College Mary Jane MacDonald Student, Early Childhood Education Aurora College Shannon Vaneltsi Student, Early Childhood Education Aurora College Tara Greenland Student, Early Childhood Education Aurora College Vivian Koe Student, Early Childhood Education Aurora College

34 EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA INUIT SUBMISSION

Engagement Session: Iqaluit, Nunavut April 25-27, 2017 Total participants: 25 Name Role Organization Judy Eecherk Childcare Coordinator Kivalliq Partners in Developmnent Lena Egotak Childcare Coordinator/ASETS Finance Kitikmeot Inuit Association Anna Ziegler Consultant Makigiaqta Tessa Lochhead Co-Director Pirurivk Preschool Eva Grooves CYD Department Manager Kakivak Association Brian Manning Director – Education Programs Nunavut Arctic College Candace Elatiak Director Kakayak Daycare, Kugluktuk Elizabeth Lyall Director Taloyoak Aboriginal Headstart Elizabeth Mala Director Cambridge Bay Daycare Hannah Aola Director Arctic Bay Aboriginal Headstart Jackie Williams Director Arviat Childcare Centre Kootoo Toonoo Director/Educator Kinngait Daycare (Cape Dorset) Noodloo Peter Director/Educator Tumikuluit Saipaaqivik Jesse Mike ECE Project Coordinator Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Bernadette Ishalook Educator Kugluktuk Aboriginal Headstart Jeeteeta Merkosak Educator Pirurvik Preschool Lily Angutimmarik Educator Igloolik Aboriginal Headstart Stella Meyok Educator Kugluktuk Aboriginal Headstart Janine Lightfoot Health Policy Analyst Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Tina Decouto Inuit Employment and Training Advisor Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Michelle Buchan Manager, Inuit Employment and Training Kitikmeot Inuit Association Leslie Leaﬂoor Manager, Early Childhood Development Dept. of Education – Gov. of NU Siobhan Kelly Manager, Early Childhood Program Dept. of Education – Gov. of NU Sarah Doak Northern Program Consultant Public Health Agency of Canada Bethany Scott Policy Analyst Qikiqtani Inuit Association

Engagement Session: Eastern Session, Halifax, Nova Scotia May 16-17, 2017 Total participants: 17 Name Role Organization Frances Palliser Aboriginal Head start Instructor Mi’kmaq Child Development Centre Solomon Semigak Aboriginal Patient Navigator St. John’s Native Friendship Centre Chelsea Lampe Child Youth Care Volunteer St. John’s Native Friendship Centre Christine Lund Child and Youth Coordinator Tungasuvvingat Inuit Kaitlyn Hill-Shakoor ECD Logistics Tungasuvvingat Inuit Mikka Komaksiutiksak ECD Coordinator Tungasuvvingat Inuit Katheryne Walsh Family Resource Coordinator St. John’s Native Friendship Centre Suzanne Sevigny Foster Mother N/A Desiree Lethbridge Parent Atelihai Inuit Joy Sevigny Parent N/A Julia Andersen Parent N/A Susan Onalik Parent N/A Anna Goudie Program Manager Aboriginal Family Centre Teresa Palliser Program Consultant Atelihai Inuit Diane Obed Student Saint Mary’s University Heidi Gillespie Student Mount Saint Vincent University Edward Allen Wellness Counselor St. John’s Native Friendship Centre

35 NATIONAL INDIGENOUS EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE FRAMEWORK

Engagement Session: Central and Western Engagement, Toronto, Ontario June 1-2, 2017 Total participants: 19 Name Role Organization Nicole Etitiq CAPC Tungasuvvingat Inuit Christine Lund Child and Youth Coordinator Tungasuvvingat Inuit Sarah Proctor Cultural Teacher Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre Leetia Kelly Doula N/A Charlotte Carleton Early Childhood Educator N/A Margaret Panipak Early Childhood Educator N/A Kaitlyn Hill-Shakoor ECD Logistics Tungasuvvingat Inuit Mikka Komaksiutiksak ECD Coordinator Tungasuvvingat Inuit Sheena Taylor Family Well-Being Cultural Worker Tungasuvvingat Inuit Tina Pisuktie Founding Board Member Southern Quebec Inuit Association Mini Freeman Grandmother N/A Jennifer Antler Indigenous Wellness Counselor Guelph Community Health Centre Cody Avadluk Parent N/A Meeka Uniuqaraq Parent N/A Tamara Takpannie Parent Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Tauni Sheldon Parent/Volunteer N/A Tracy Sarazin Parent/Consultant Self-Employed Bea Alvarez RECE Preschool Teacher Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre Krista Akulukjuk Youth Worker N/A Engagement Session: Academic and Inuit Knowledge, Ottawa, ON June 8-9, 2017 Total participants: 17 Name Role Organization Mary Carol Rowan Researcher and Academic Carleton University Karen Baker-Anderson Executive Director Ottawa Inuit Children's Centre Ina Zakal Toddler and Pre-School Teacher Ottawa Inuit Children's Centre Michelle McConkey ECE Project Coordinator Ottawa Inuit Children's Centre Rhoda Ungalaq Board Member Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada Jacqueline Quinless Consultant Quintessential Research Group Inc. Dianne Kinnon Consultant Kinnon Consulting Gwen Healey Executive and Scientiﬁc Director Qaujigiartiit Health Research Centre Lila Evic Project Coordinator, Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada Socio-Economic Department Amanda Deseure Acting-Manager, Socio-Economic Department Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada Elana Nightingale Manager, Socio-Economic Department Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada Joan Riggs Consultant Catalyst Research and Communications Christine Lund Child and Youth Worker Tungasuvvingat Inuit Peesee Stephens Educator Iqaluit Annie Kulula Arnatuk President Saturviit Inuit Women’s Association of Nunavik Stephanie Lachance Founder Ivvavik Daycare Naullaq Arnaquq Educator and PhD Candidate Iqaluit

36 EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA INUIT SUBMISSION

Engagement Session: Strategic Policy Session, Ottawa, Ontario June 14-15, 2017 Total participants: 50 Name Role Organization Jenny Lyall Regional Childcare Coordinator Nunatsiavut Government Beverly Thompson Director of Communications Nunatsiavut Government Julie-Ann Berthe Assistant Director, Childcare Sector Kativik Regional Government Maryse Turcot Management Advisor, Childcare Sector Kativik Regional Government Isabelle Girard Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services Malaiya Weetaluktuk Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services Eva Eetuk-Groves Director, Childcare and Youth Delivery Kakivak Association Leonie Qaumariaq CEO, Chief Executive Oﬃce Kakivak Association Hanna Kilabuk Kakivak Association Annie Alexander Employment Oﬃcer Kakivak Association Judy Eecherk Regional Childcare Coordinator Kivalliq Partners in Development Charlene Kaludjak CEO Kivalliq Partners in Development Lena Egotak Regional Childcare Coordinator Kitikmeot Inuit Association Michelle Buchan Manager, Inuit Employment and Training Kitikmeot Inuit Association Alex Desrochers Early Childhood Programs Manager Inuvialuit Regional Corporation Maria Storr Early Childhood Intervention Coordinator Inuvialuit Regional Corporation Jesse Mike Early Childhood Development Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated Project Coordinator Amanda Deseure Acting Director, Socio-Economic Development Pauktuutit Inuit of Canada Lila Evic Early Childhood Development Pauktuutit Inuit of Canada Project Coordinator Christine Lund Child and Youth Coordinator Tungasuvvingat Inuit Cindi Rye Director of Programs Tungasuvvingat Inuit Kaitlyn Hill-Shakoor Summer Student Tungasuvvingat Inuit Mikka Komaksiutiksak Early Childhood Development Coordinator Tungasuvvingat Inuit Desiree Lethbridge Eastern Representative Tungasuvvingat Inuit Mainna Angalik Eastern Representative Tungasuvvingat Inuit Ron Ryan Consultant Nvision Nsight - TI Representative Karen Baker Anderson Executive Director Ottawa Inuit Children's Centre Michelle McConkey Early Childhood Education Coordinator Ottawa Inuit Children's Centre Amanda Kuluguqtuq Past Executive Director Nunavut Representative of Tumukuluit Childcare Centre Elizabeth Lyall Program Manager Taloyoak Aboriginal Head Start Carol Rowan Academic ECE Scholar, Carleton University Jill Henry Manager, Indigenous Early Employment and Social Development Learning and Childcare Canada Gabriela Ariolla FINICCI Operations Employment and Social Development Canada Jennifer Corbiere Manager, Health Promotion and Public Health Agency of Canada Chronic Disease Prevention Branch Katherine Cole Senior Policy Analyst FNIHB - Health Canada Marie Eve Sabourin Manager, Program Delivery FNIHB - Health Canada

37 NATIONAL INDIGENOUS EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE FRAMEWORK

Engagement Session: Strategic Policy Session, Ottawa, Ontario (cont’d) June 14-15, 2017 Total participants: 50 Name Role Organization Lise Coulombe Manager, Education Division Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada Morna Ballintyne Early Childhood Director Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada Robin McMillan Project Coordinator Canadian Childcare Federation Nina Larsson Senior Advisor, Early Childhood Development Government of the Northwest Territories - Health Sherri Hughson Early Childhood Inspection Coordinator Government of the Northwest Territories - Education Tara Macaskill Territorial Lead, Healthy Children and Families Government of Nunavut - Health Amy McCall Acting Director, ECE Division Government of Nunavut - Education Pam Ouart-McNabb Senior Program Officer J.W. McConnell Family Foundation Margo Greenwood Scientific Director National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health Sally Webster Elder Terry Ma Health and Social Development Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Tamara Takpannie Health and Social Development Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Pamela Kilabuk Health and Social Development Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami

1 Frontline Staff include: Childcare workers, family resource workers, language and playgroup workers, childcare counselors, educators, ECE (and student ECE), instructors/teachers, students and representatives. 2 Childcare & Regional Managers include: Daycare operators, directors, food security coordinators, project managers. 3 Family includes: elders, grandparents, parents/foster parents, doula. 4 Inuit Organization Coordinators include: Regional coordinators, management advisors, ECE coordinators, managers, program coordinators, childcare coordinators, consultants, directors, advisors, board members, employment officers, executive directors. 5 Federal/Provincial/Territorial Directors include: President, acting directors, chief executive, ECE consultant, executive directors, coordinators, instructor, therapist/physiotherapist, superintendent, senior advisors, analysts, managers. 6 Others include: ITK staff, unknown titles, repeat participants.

38 EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA INUIT SUBMISSION

Appendix B Funding received by ASETS Agreement Holders Per Regions (2014) 47

Region Annual Budget Source of funding Amount % Annual Budget

Nunatsiavut $1,500,000 FNICCI $990,000 90% GNL $165,215 10%

Nunavik $15,702,083 FNICCI $1,390,772 9% QC (block) $13,376,704 85% AHS $934,607 6%

Qikiqtaaluk $1,795,955 FNICCI $1,795,955 100%

Kivalliq $1,109,491 FNICCI $1,109,491 100%

Kitikmeot $771,000 FNICCI $771,000 100%

Inuvialuit $910,000 FNICCI $528,000 58% GTC $48,000 5.5% GNWT ECE $34,000 3.5% SCI $45,000 5% Language Nest $101,000 11% HCI $106,000 12% Supportive Child $11,000 1% Brighter Futures $37,000 4%

Urban No FNICCI funding (speciﬁc to Inuit) is available.

47 From: Assessing the Impact of the First Nations and Inuit childcare Initiative (FNICCI) across Inuit Nunangat, 2014. Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. P. 12.

39 NATIONAL INDIGENOUS EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE FRAMEWORK

Appendix C Jurisdictional roles and responsibilities for Early Learning and Childcare

Each Inuit region has its own land claims agreement and thus unique relationship with the Federal Government. Similarly, agreements with provincial / territorial governments are also unique. The following summarizes jurisdictional roles and responsibilities for federal, provincial / territorial and Inuit organizations across the four Inuit land claim regions.

Nunavut Some of unique features in Nunavut: • The Federal government provides funding to Nunavut through two programs: Aborignal Head Start Urban and Northern Communities from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and the First Nations and Inuit Child Care Initiative (FNICCI) from ESDC. • Aboriginal Head Start programs receive funding directly from the PHAC and don’t have any coordinating body in Nunavut. • Federal funding for the FNICCI program is administered through 3 separate organizations: Kakivak Association, Kivalliq Partners in Development and Kitikmeot Inuit Association. Two of the three Inuit regions (Kivalliq and Qikiqtani) have arms-length non-profit organizations whose staff administers ELCC programs in their region. Kitikmeot region administers the programs from within the Inuit regional organization. Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) roles and responsibilities include: • Advocating for Inuit of Nunavut through article 32 of the land claim agreement • Leading the ECE Analysis Project • Provide social policy Qikiqtani Inuit Association roles and responsibilities include: • Producing Inuktut Resources • Oversee Kakivak Association (a community and economic development organization that operates on Baffin Island), who’s roles and responsibilities include: • Administering Federal funding to day cares for Inuit children in the Qikiqtani region and providing administrative support to day cares. Kivalliq Inuit Association roles and responsibilities include: • Sign federal funding agreements on behalf of Kivalliq Partners in Development, who’s roles and responsibilities include: • Administering Federal funding to day cares and providing administrative support, including reporting Kitikmeot Inuit Association roles and responsibilities include: • Administering Federal funding to day cares and providing administrative support The Nunavut Government’s roles and responsibilities include: • Licencing • Start up funding • Operation and management

The Federal Government is responsible for: • Providing funding to Government of Nunavut from FNICCI (ESDC) and AHSUNC (PHAC), • Provide funding to the regional bodies to support childcare centres. Diﬀerent in each region.

40 EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA INUIT SUBMISSION

Nunatsiavut The Nunatsiavut Government’s roles and responsibilities include: • Administering ELCC programs in the region including: Developing and implementing a philosophy of Inuit early childhood education and care • Monitoring program activities in Inuit communities. • Liaison to Department of Education and Early Childhood Development with provincial, standards, and regulations • Recruit and manage staff • Administer all budgets for Inuit childcare program • Prepare and monitor childcare licensing packages • Nunatsiavut Department of Health and Social Development receives funding from ESDC for the FNICCI, PHAC for Aboriginal Head Start, from Province of Newfoundland Labrador called Early Learning Childcare Initiative • Supports the centres through professional support, guidance, financial and operational administration, and professional resources and site visits. The Newfoundland Labrador Government’s roles and responsibilities include: • Govern child care centres in Nunatsiavut through the Child Care Services Regulations. The Act specifies the requirements for licensing of child care centres and conditions of operation including health and safety, physical space, staff qualifications, staff ratios, age groupings, and group size, as well as other conditions necessary for licensing and maintenance of licensed facilities. • Monitoring and inspecting licensed child care centres through the Provincial Department of Education and Early Learning Childhood Development • Provide approximately $120,000 in funding through their Early Learning Childcare Initiative The Federal Government is responsible for: • Provides funding for ELCC programs through: • Employment and Social Development Canada for the First Nations and Inuit Child Care Initiative (FNICCI) • Public Health Agency of Canada for the Aboriginal Head Start Program • Heritage Canada for Language and Cultural programming (language nest)

Nunavik Kativik Regional Government (KRG) KRG ELCC programs are more extensive and developed than other regions due in part to some of these unique features: • Aboriginal Head Start program is rolled into the overall childcare centres program – the funding is provided to KRG but they manage it according to their own needs and priorities. • Substantive Provincial government support – Quebec subsidized ELCC programs more than any other province or territory in Canada. • ELCC program is entirely under KRG’s responsibility • Childcare centres serve country food due to the fact that food safety regulations and enforcement understanding re: country foods / food safety regulations

The Kativik Regional Government’s (KRG) roles and responsibilities include: • Receives money to support ELCC from the Government of Quebec, the FNICCI from ESDC, AHSUNC from PHAC, and parent fees of $7.75 - $20 per day (depending on family income). • Represents the Ministry of Families (Ministère de La Famille), which has transferred the majority of powers related to the Educational Childcare Act to KRG, detailed in ‘Agreement Concerning Block Funding for the Kativik Regional Government’. This agreement comes with funding and powers to coordinate childcare centres across Nunavik, to administer childcare permits, plans, training and funding for the 14 Childcare Centres that operates 19 facilities. They provide a yearly report to the Minister on performance. • Respects the legal status of all childcare centres in Nunavik are non-proﬁt corporations run by Inuit parent boards.

41 NATIONAL INDIGENOUS EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE FRAMEWORK

The Quebec Government’s roles and responsibilities include: • Provide approximately 90 percent of funds for childcare centres • Provide funding to KRG through a block transfer of funding agreement (24 year agreement). • Food safety inspectors have adapted their practices to Inuit reality and culture. Food safety inspectors and cooks in childcare centres have been trained regarding safe country food handling. Hunters sell country food directly to childcare centres. The Federal Government is responsible for: • Provide funding to KRG from FNICCI (ESDC) and AHSUNC (PHAC), although as stated above this funding is allocated at the discretion of KRG and they do not run (standalone) Aboriginal Head Start programs like in other regions as the AHS program is inclusive to the ELCC Quebec program.

Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) Some of unique features within the Inuvialuit: • Established in 1984 to manage the settlement outlined in the Inuvialuit Final Agreement • Inuvialuit beneficiaries directly control IRC through a democratic process of elected directors from each of the 6 communities • Inuvialuit beneficiaries make up over 80 percent of IRC and IDC staff positions • Inuvialuit leaders, elders and youth are unanimous in recognizing that building on the traditions of the past is essential for success today and in the future Inuvialuit Regional Corporation’s roles and responsibilities include: • Manage day-to-day operations under the guidance and direction of the Executive Director of the Community Development Division, representative of all Inuvialuit interests in partnership with governments and the world at large • Submit proposals for funding to PHAC, FNICCI, GTC, ICRC Health Canada and GNWT (EC&E H&SS) to delivery quality child care programs & services, while adhering to their guidelines, principles and policies • Respect and support families in their role of nurturing children through development of community based interventions, supports, programs, and services • Increase community awareness of the importance of ECD/E and Health practices • Ensure the childcare staff have access to and knowledge of “best practices” through delivery of related early childhood training The Government of the Northwest Territories roles and responsibilities include: • Inspects and licenses all early childhood facilities following the NWT Child Care Act Standards and Regulations • Provides funding to Inuvialuit Regional Corporation through proposals & contribution agreements with strict guidelines, little flexibility and insufficient funds • Creates partnerships with communities to help create a more positive working relationship with the organizations they help fund The Federal Government is responsible for: • Provides funding from FNICCI (ESDC) and AHSUNC (PHAC) through contribution agreements with stringent guidelines, little flexibility in funding • Creates partnerships to create a more positive working relationship with the organizations and the “key” role they have in funding early childhood programs

42 EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA INUIT SUBMISSION TO Employment and Social Development Canada Regarding National Indigenous Early Learning and Childcare Framework

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